Creek Chub Lakes in Michigan, 41 Lakes

Rough fish like Creek Chub are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 41 Michigan lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Creek Chub is narrowly distributed — only 41 lakes in Michigan have a documented record. The constraint is usually habitat: cold water, specific depth profile, or river connection.

Rough-fish-dominant lakes are worth checking the phosphorus and chlorophyll-a readings on: a rough-fish-heavy fishery often reflects an underlying nutrient-loading problem in the watershed. Cross-reference the Creek Chub lake list below against each lake's clarity, phosphorus and algae readings: lakes with low nutrient readings and Creek Chub documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Michigan Lakes

Counties

Creek Chub Lakes Map

Every Michigan lake with documented creek chub.

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Best Creek Chub Lakes in Michigan

Rank	Lake	County	Clarity	Depth
1	Derby Lake	Montcalm	14 ft	87 ft
2	Duck Lake	Muskegon	11 ft	-
3	Big Star Lake	Lake	9 ft	-
4	Round Lake	Lenawee	12.3 ft	67 ft
5	Gun Lake	Mason	14 ft	22 ft
6	Upper Woodcock Lake	Benzie	11 ft	45 ft
7	Lower Woodcock Lake	Benzie	12.3 ft	-
8	Sanford Lake	Benzie	17 ft	-
9	Lower Herring Lake	Benzie	13 ft	50 ft
10	Lake Ann	Benzie	14.5 ft	75 ft
11	Clifford Lake	Montcalm	10 ft	-
12	Long Lake	Gogebic	12 ft	60 ft
13	Avery Lake	Montmorency	27 ft	-
14	Brown Lake	Jackson	7.5 ft	-
15	Sanford Lake	Midland	5 ft	20 ft
16	Duck Lake	Gogebic	9 ft	25 ft
17	Lake Margrethe	Crawford	16 ft	65 ft
18	Pickerel Lake	Kalkaska	20 ft	72 ft
19	Eagle Lake	Allegan	15 ft	-
20	Resort Lake	Menominee	8.5 ft	41 ft
21	Viking Lake	Otsego	6.8 ft	25 ft
22	Long Lake	Grand Traverse	24.3 ft	88 ft
23	Long Lake	Benzie	9 ft	-
24	Baldwin Lake	Cass	9 ft	-
25	Long Lake	Cass	10.5 ft	42 ft
26	Baldwins Lake	Cass	8 ft	55 ft
27	Kimball Lake	Newaygo	4.5 ft	40 ft
28	Rose Lake	Osceola	10.8 ft	30 ft
29	Rose Lake	Shiawassee	5.5 ft	-
30	Burt Lake	Cheboygan	15.5 ft	73 ft
31	Deer Lake	Charlevoix	11.5 ft	20 ft
32	Lower Woodcock Lake	Benzie	12.3 ft	-
33	Mullett Lake	Cheboygan	13 ft	120 ft
34	Long Lake	Cheboygan	18 ft	61 ft
35	Elk Lake	Antrim	14.5 ft	150 ft
36	Douglas Lake	Cheboygan	12 ft	80 ft
37	Upper Woodcock Lake	Benzie	11 ft	45 ft
38	Douglas Lake	Otsego	16.5 ft	36 ft
39	Bass Lake	Marquette	11.8 ft	78 ft
40	Bass Lake	Kalkaska	18.5 ft	-
41	Duck Lake	Muskegon	8.5 ft	-

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Michigan lakes have creek chub?

Creek Chub are found in 41 lakes in Michigan.

What are the best creek chub lakes in Michigan?

The best creek chub lakes in Michigan by water quality are Derby Lake, Duck Lake, Big Star Lake, Round Lake, Gun Lake.

Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality readings from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys.